Safety uncoupling device



E. LARSSON.

SAFETY UNCOUPLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-28,1918.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

an uc n foz E. LARSSON.

SAFETY UNCOUPLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-28,1918.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

2 MEETS-SHEET 2- 3141M I '01 [Hafiz/55072 marsh stares Parser orr cs.

nans r nanssou, or'iaaivsrintn, 01210, ASSIGNOR TO 'rnn' 02110 BRASS COMPANY,

MANSFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SAFETY UNCOUPLING DEVICE.

Application filed January 28, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST LARSSON, a citizen of Sweden, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Uncoupling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car couplers and more particularly to couplers embodying contacts for connecting up the electric'circuits to make them continuous throughout the coupled cars, and has for its primary object the provision of electrically controlled means for preventing the uncoupling of the cars while the electric circuits are energized. These circuits frequently carry heavy current or a high voltage, or both, and therefore it is important that they should be deenergized prior to the separation of the cars, or otherwise violent arcing may occur at the contacts of the couplers which would be injurious and might render the equipment in operative. In practice'the switch forcontrolling the current in the electric circuits should be opcratedto decnergize the circuits before the couplers are released or separated.

This is frequently neglected by the trainmen and the cars are uncoupled with the current on the circuits with the result of injurious arcing at the contacts and damage to the couplers.

' The present i vention contemplates the use of an elec ically controlled device, adapted to be ener ized and deenergized simultaneously with the electric circuits pa ss'- ing through the coupled cars and which when energized prevents the separation or uncoupling of the couplers, prior to the de'elnergizing of the electric circuits.

One object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character referred to which can be applied to cars having any number of electric circuits and which is adapted to be operated from a safety circuit independent of any of the car or train line circuits used to operate the cars, lights, heaters, etc, or operated as a branch or shunt from one of the car circuits passing through the coupler, providing it is a direct line from the source of supply and carries practically a constant voltage, and is not connected in series with any of the train line circuits s as-to be operated by all the current flowing in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

Serial No. 214,058.

that circuit which is variable as hereinafter explained. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved device of this character which will be durable and uniform in construction throughout the train system, effective, efiicient and reliable in operationand which can be readily and conveniently installed or removed from its operative position without interrupting or interfering with any of the electric circuits passing:

through the cars.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a safety locking device in combination with coupling means which will permit the electric train line circuits on each of the cars when coupled, to be connected to a like or corresponding train line circuit regardless of which ends of the cars are coupled up.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement. of the several parts hereinafter to be fully described and explained as shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating the embodnnent of the lnvention, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a coupler of the.

radial type having a pivotal connection with the car body upon which it is free to swing horizontally to provide for lateral movement of the coupler head when rounding a curve and illustrates my interlocking device attached thereto in such relation asto engage the hand operated uncoupling, leverof the coupler head.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of a portion of the coupler and shows theinterlocking device in vertical section and the solenoid coil connected as a branch or shunt from a safety circuit of its own passing and which is connected to the source of supply, usually the trolley.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1 and shows'my interlocking device applied to the coupler head in such a manner as to engage the hook member instead of the operating lever.

Fig. 6 is a scheme drawing of my invention but attached'to operate from a single train line circuit.

Referring to the drawings and in which similar reference characters indicate the same parts in the different views, 1 designates the coupler which is'shown being pivotally connected at 2, to the car body 3, and provided with a head 4, having a hook 5 pivotally connected therein. The hoolr 5 is adapted to enga e and intercouple with a corresponding hook in a counterpart con pler head 01" another car for connecting or coupling the cars together and is maintained in intercoupled engagement therewith by a spring 6 when in coupled operation.

For releasing the hooks of the counterpart coupler head to allow the cars to be pulled apart or separated, a manually operated unlocking lever 7, provided with a cam 8, is

provided. The unlocking lever 'Z, normally rests in a certain position and must be turned through a predetermined angle for disengaging the hooks by the action of the cam 8 to allow the cars to be pulled apart.

An electric coupler 9, comprising one or more contacts 10 is adapted to connect the electric train line circuit of one car with the corresponding circuit of an adjacent car.

he contacts 10 are adapted to engage similar contacts on a cooperating coupler and connect corresponding circuits which may be for lighting, indicated by 11 L; heating,

indicatedby ll. H; safety interlocking cir cuit, indicated by 11 X, etc. simultaneously with the coupling together or the cars.

Cars andcouplers are connected as just described when it is desired to operate separate train lirie circuit for each class of apparatus such as lights, heaters, signals, etc. Other modifications are described herein later on.

I A suitable switch (Figs. 5 and 3) for controlling the current in the electric circuits 11 E, 11 L. and 11 X, is provided and may be mounted in any suitableposition, usually within the car. The on may be derived from any suitable source 0 supply. The switch 12, itwill be readily seen, controls the current in each. el ctric train line circuit and in the safety cuit to which the interlocking solenoid c l. is shunted or connected, so that it is pos. operate the uncoupling mechanism only when switch 12 is openand all current in all the train line circuits, including the sate y circuit, is cut off. The safety locking oevice compels the opening of this switch before the cars can be separated.

In accordance with my invention I pray vide an electric locking device 1?, provided. with means for securing it to a coupler in any suitable position, as shown in 1 and and which consists of a coil 18 connected by a safety circuit 11 X as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, and operated by current taken from safety circuit 11 X, and is not operated by the current or any portion thereof flowing in any or all of the other train line circuits such as 11 L and 11' H.

The current for operating the locking device is taken from the safety circuit 11 X attached to the source of supply, and energizes the coil 18 which has one end connected to the safety circuit and the other end to a ground connection as indicated by by 20 in Figs. 1 and 2, and by G in Figs.

5 and 6. The switch 12 controls the supply of current to the safety circuit 11 X.

A core 21 is vmounted within the coil and is provided with a stem 22, which extends through a suitable opening provided in the top or the device. The core is actuated by the magnetic forces created by the coil when energized to cause the stem to assume a position of obstruction in the path of movement of the unlocking lever 7, or to interengage therewith, therebv preventing manipulation of the levers to disengage the couplers when. the device is energized, in which event the electric circuits 11 H and 11 L may be likewise energized.

It will be noted that I connect my safety or interlocking device to a circuit which is connected to the source of supply, usually the trolley, and then to the ground. By so doing I am assured of practically constant voltage and hence a practically constant current which means uniformity and reliability of operation. It will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, that if my safety device were installed in series with the train line circuit such as 11 H or 11 I, or both, and dependent upon all the current passing through that circuit or circuits, that this current would vary-with the number of cars in the train and the number of lights, heaters, etc. in operation on the car and hence my locking device would be unreliable, undependable and unsafe in operation.

I am aware that locking devices have been devised which operate in series with the train line circuits and are dependent upon all the current in such circuits for energizing the coils on the locking devices and that such locking devices must have as many coils as there are train line circuits carrying current, but such devices are large and clumsy and not reliable in operation and do not perform the function they are intended as the conditions of operation for each train line circuit intended for utility purposes such as light, heaters, signals, etc are variable to a large degreeand hence the current flowing in each such circuits is variable to a large degree. It now the current in each such circuit is all passing through a coil in the locking device, then there will be times when such currents may be many times less than othertimes and to design a locking device taking care of such fluctuations in current, means a device which is undependable and unreliable in operation.

In my device and method of operation, however, the locking mechanism is independent of the current which may be flowing in such train line circuits at any time, as I connect my device to a circuit which I term a safety circuit and to a grc nd connection, as already described, and this safety circuit is energized whenever any one or more of'train line circuits passing through the'coupler is energized, in fact it may be energized even though none of the train line circuits are energized.

I depend upon a constant current for the operation of my device and since the voltage at the source of supply is reasonably constant and I connect my device in parallelor shunt with the source of supply, I can con struct my device the same for any one electric railway system and as practically a uniform voltage is, used quite universally and my device would be made uniform, various systems could be interchanged having my locking device thereon and still assure operation. This would not beethe case however with devices operated on the series principle, that is, connected in series with the train line circuit and therefore necessitating a variable construction to take care of variable current conditions.

In Fig. 5 there are three train line circuits shown, one 11 H connected to heaters H, another 11 L connected to lights L, ant the third 11 X is for the operation of the safety device exclusively as shown and which I term the safety circuit, although other devices may be operated from it if de sired, and without affecting the operation of the safety device if such other devices are connected to the safety circuit as a shunt or branch as indicated in Fig. 6. The lights and heaters in each car are controlled by the switches 14k and 15, and the trainline circuits 11 H and 11 L are each individually controlled from the head or motor car by the switches 13 and independent of the safety circuit 11X;

' It will be observed, however, that there can be no current in the utilitycircuits 11 H and 11L unless switch 12 is closed which throws current into the safety circuit 11 X and the safety device is thrown into operation immediately upon closing the switch 12; therefore, the cars cannotbe uncoupled unless switch 12 is first opened and current simultaneously cut ofi" from circuits 11 H and 11 L.

In Fig. 6, I have shown a method of attaching my device to cars operating with a single train line circuit in which case the heaters and lights can be operated without affecting the operation of iny safety device and it necessaryto open the switch 12 be;

through the coupling mechanism has two' contact points both inthe same horizontal plane but'equally spaced on opposite sides of a vertical center line through the coupling mechanism.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing I have shown my locking device as applied to the coupler in a different'position, in which arrangement the stem 22, isadapted' to engage the hook to prevent movement thereof when the locking device and the electric circuit are energized, and it will be obvious that my device can be applied in various other positions and in couplers of other types than herein disclosed.

It will be readily understood that in what is known as multiple unit control where a main bus line runs through the train of cars and the bus may be connected to a current collector on each car, as for instance, a ,trol ley pole, that by connecting my safety de-- vice on each car to the bus line that my device will serve its purposeequally as well as elsewhere herein described.

Having fully described my invention and illustrated the same, I do not wish to be limited to'the details of the construction shown since these can be varied by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirt and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: i i

1. An electric coupler adapted to connect electric circuits-comprisingtwo cooperating I heads, each head provided with a plurality of contacts disposed on both sides of the coupler head and adapted to engage contacts in the cooperating head, an electric circuit connected to the contacts, holding means to retain the head in a coupled position and electro-responsive meansin each head controlling the holding means to prevent disengagement of the holding means while the circuit is energized, the electro-responsive means in each head being provided with a single electrically operated coil each connected direct to the circuit and to a ground.

2. An electric coupler comprising two cooperating heads, a contact in each head adapted to engage a contact in the cooperating head, an electric circuit connected to each contact, holding means to retain the heads in coupled position and electro responsive means in each head controlling the holding means to prevent disengagement of the holding means while the electric circuit is ener gized, the electro-responsive means in each head being provided With a single electrically operated coil each connected direct to the circuit and to a ground connection.

3. Anelectrical system comprising in combination a plurality of disconnected circuits and means for connecting corresponding circuits, the connecting means consisting of a pair of counterpart coupling members, each member-provided With a plurality of co-acting contacts arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the head and a circuit connected to each pair of contacts, means for holding the coupling members in coupled relation With each circuit in one member connected to the corresponding circuit in the counterpart member, means for releasing the holding means to permit disconnecting the circults and electrically operated controlling means for automatically locking the releasing means While any of the connected circuits are energized, each electrically operated locking means being operated by a solenoid having one end connected to one of the connected circuits and having the other end 01 the solenoid connected to the ground so that all solenoids are connected in parallel With each other and to the samecircuit and means controlling the energizing and deenergizing of the circuit to which the solenoids are connected simultaneously With the energizing and deenergizing respectively of the other circuits.

4;. An electric system comprising in combination a plurality of cars, a plurality of train line circuits passing through each car, a coupling head for the train line circuits positioned at the end of each car and adapted to electrically connect With a coupler head on an adjacent car, holding means for retaining the coupler head in a coupled relation, electrically operated locking means controlling the holding means to prevent disengagement of the holding means When the train line cir- 'cuits "are energized, a solenoid adapted to operate the locking means, a separate safety circuit to Which one end of each solenoid is connected and the other end of the solenoid being connected to the ground, means for energizing the train line and safety circuits to prevent release of the locking means When one or more of the train line circuits is energized and means for deenergizing the circuits prior to uncoupling the cars.

5. An electric system comprising in combination a plurality of cars, a plurality of train line circuits passing through each car and arranged to be energized from a source of electric supply When connected, a coupling means for the train line circuit and positioned at each end of each car adapted to electrically connect with a coupling means on the adjacent car, holding means to maintain the coupled connectors in a coupled relation, electrically operated locking means engaging the holding means to prevent releasing of the holding means While the train line circuits are energized, the locking means being connected to a safety train line circuit which is connected to the same source of supply as the first mentioned train line circuits and arranged to be energized when any of the train line circuits are energized, and means for controlling the energizing and deenergizing of all the circuits.

6. An electric coupler adapted to connect electric circuits comprising tWo cooperating heads, a plurality of contacts adapted to engage contacts in the cooperating head, an electric circuit connected to the contacts, holding means to retain the heads in a coupled position and electro-responsive means in eachhead controlling the holding means to prevent disengagement ot the holding means While the circuit is energized, the electro-responsive means in each head being provided With a single electrically operated coil each connected direct to the circuit and to the ground and energized by current derived from the electric circuit and said current dependent in value upon the voltage of the circuit only.

7. A system for controlling the uncoupling of a train comprising a plurality of cars each provided With electric train line circuits comprising a coupling head provided with contacts 011 each car for coupling the cars and circuits regardless of Which car ends are connected, and having the circuits connected to the contacts, holding means on the heads to retain the heads in a coupled position, and electro-responsive means for controlling the holding means to prevent disengagement of the holding means While the circuits are ener: gized and said electro-responsive means so connected to one of the train line circuits as to be operated by a current dependent upon the voltage of that train line circuit and independent of any current changes in said train line circuit, means for controlling the energizing and deenergizing of the circuits.

8. An electric system comprising a plurality of cars provided With electric train line circuits coupled into a train, means for coupling the cars and circuits comprising a head on each carv cooperating With a corresponding head on the next car, contacts on each head to engage corresponding contacts on the coupled heads, and having the electric circuits connected thereto, holding means to retain the heads in a coupled position, electro-responsive means preventing the disengagement of the holding means While the circuits are energized, the various electro-responsive means being connected in parallel .to-

one of the circuits so that the operating current in each means Wlll be practically uniform and constant and independent of the current flowing in the circuit regardless of the number of cars connected in the train but Will be dependent upon the voltage only of the circuit to which the electro-responsive means are attached for its operating current value and means for controlling the energizing and deenergizing of the circuits.

9. An electric system comprising a plurality of cars, provided with a plurality of electric train line circuits coupled into a train, means for coupling the cars and connecting the circuits comprising two counterpart heads, contacts in one head adapted to engage contacts in the counterpart head and connect the circuits of one head Which are connected to the contacts with the like circuits in the counterpart head which are consponsive means connected to one of the cir- I cuits and to a ground and operating independent of current change in the circuit to directly control the holding means and to prevent releasing the holding means While the circuits are energized, and means for deenergizing the circuit to permit the uncoupling of the cars when the connected cir- 25 cuits are deenergized. g

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' ERNST LARSSON. 

